Cooks & Cocinas: A classic mix of comfort and elegance

Updated 10:42 am, Friday, July 26, 2013

The butcher block top of the island is stained dark and sealed with polyurethane.

The butcher block top of the island is stained dark and sealed with polyurethane.

Photo: TOM REEL

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Kitchen of Rachel and Justin Cole

Kitchen of Rachel and Justin Cole

Photo: TOM REEL

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Pop-open spice cabinets are tucked in the decorative range surround.

Pop-open spice cabinets are tucked in the decorative range surround.

Photo: TOM REEL

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Architect Diane Hays helped Rachel refine her design for the vent hood, the focal point of the kitchen.

Architect Diane Hays helped Rachel refine her design for the vent hood, the focal point of the kitchen.

Photo: TOM REEL

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Rachel included cubbies to hold keys and chargers to minimize clutter on counters.

Rachel included cubbies to hold keys and chargers to minimize clutter on counters.

Photo: TOM REEL

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Kitchen of Rachel and Justin Cole

Kitchen of Rachel and Justin Cole

Photo: TOM REEL

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White diagonal tiles on the backsplash, set on the diagonal, reinforce the casual aspect of Rachel Cole's design.

White diagonal tiles on the backsplash, set on the diagonal, reinforce the casual aspect of Rachel Cole's design.

Photo: TOM REEL

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Kitchen of Rachel and Justin Cole.

Kitchen of Rachel and Justin Cole.

Photo: TOM REEL

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The kitchen island doubles as a dining table.

The kitchen island doubles as a dining table.

Photo: TOM REEL

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Rachel Cole said she chose durable materials for the kitchen.

Rachel Cole said she chose durable materials for the kitchen.

Photo: TOM REEL

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The island doubles as a dining table.

The island doubles as a dining table.

Photo: TOM REEL

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The Coles chose white cabinets and dark wood floors as the basis for their kitchen. Granite counters have both cool and warm tones.

The Coles chose white cabinets and dark wood floors as the basis for their kitchen. Granite counters have both cool and warm tones.

Photo: TOM REEL

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Rachel Cole wanted a classically elegant look for her house, but she also wanted it to be comfortable.

Rachel Cole wanted a classically elegant look for her house, but she also wanted it to be comfortable.

Photo: TOM REEL

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TST KITCHEN Home of Rachel and Justin Cole on July 17, 2013.

TST KITCHEN Home of Rachel and Justin Cole on July 17, 2013.

Photo: TOM REEL

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Cooks & Cocinas: A classic mix of comfort and elegance

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The kitchen took priority for a newlywed couple who renovated a 1940s cottage to give it a classic but comfortable look for the 21st century.

Who's cooking: Rachel Scarbrough Cole is a partner in H3, a house-flipping business. Husband Justin is an associate with an investment company.

What's cooking: Rachel takes a practical approach for quick and healthy comfort-food meals. One night's roasted chicken becomes a topping for a quick from-scratch pizza the next night. On weekends, Justin grills and Rachel prepares side dishes.

She also likes to make desserts.

In this kitchen: The renovation that began in April 2012 wrapped up in October, the week the couple got married. Rachel lived in one room of the house during the project, which involved stripping the house to the studs and moving walls.

The space: The kitchen, which grew without changing the footprint of the house by claiming space from the dining room, measures 15 by 13 feet.

On the surfaces: White cabinets and dark-stained oak floors set the tone for a traditional kitchen. The speckled finish of Persa Avorio granite combines both cool gray tones and warmer cream colors. Walls are painted Sherwin-Williams Balanced Beige, a soft hue that walks a line between taupe and gray.

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Square white ceramic tiles on the backsplash are set on the diagonal to fit the casual look.

The dark stain on the island's butcher-block top echoes the floors. It's sealed with polyurethane for durability. “We eat on it, we don't chop on it,” Rachel said.

The materials combine to convey a crisp, monochromatic look, but one that is filled with character. “I wanted elegant but casual and comfortable,” Rachel said. “It's not china and white couches here.”

Why it works: Though Rachel buys, refurbishes and resells houses, she was thinking long term for her own Alamo Heights cottage. “We went into (the renovation) knowing we had to have room in the budget for the kitchen,” she said.

The space includes speakers for music, appreciated during parties, and a television, which Rachel and Justin enjoy during their frequent lunches around the island. The island, 30 inches wide and 5 feet long, doubles as prep space and as a comfortable dining table for four.

Cubbies under the television help keep keys and chargers from cluttering counters.

Pop-open spice cabinets are tucked in the vent-hood surround at the six-burner range.